I'm starting with a basic idea, sort of a cage match final battle where the big battle will culminate on a central platform with room for any survivors to watch, or throw things.

This is just a rough sketch of the area, not even sure if I like the lava yet.

43909

I have some ideas what I want to dress this up with, but certainly open to suggestions.

Bogie

04-11-2012, 11:41 PM

I made a lot of changes, all the floor and wall textures. Changed the lava to slime. Still needs works.

43942

Lukc

04-12-2012, 01:34 AM

The proportions of this map are interesting ... it almost looks a wee bit Japanese. Tatami and slime :)

Jacktannery

04-12-2012, 02:55 AM

The colour scheme (brown/slimegreen) does not look great, particularly the greeny-grey gates in the central island. Are you able to alter the colour of everything except for the slime? I'd be almost inclined and make all walls and floor and gates a pale grey to give a unified and simple look, and to really emphasise the slime. What I would do is to reduce the saturation of the floor layer by 50% and lighten it slightly, so that it matches the palate of the four external doorways (leave the doors and external walls as they are) and then change the hue of the gates on the island from grey/green to grey/brown like the other walls. You might also consider a hue change on the iron spikes (I really like these by the way) to a less brown and paler rusty grey/orange.

The second thing I noticed is dark green grid lines in the slime. Are these intentional? They seem to follow a different (and too small) grid than the brown background.

Bogie

04-12-2012, 09:11 AM

I can play with the colors of most of the items. Will give it a try tonight. The slime is only a few feet deep so the brickwork beneath it shows through. It is just a different brick pattern that doesn't have a grid to it, and it cannot easily be changed.

Bogie

04-13-2012, 01:44 AM

More changes incorporating Lukc and Jack's advice, plus a lot of other ideas.

What do you think?

### Latest WIP ###
43981

Jacktannery

04-13-2012, 02:31 AM

Huge improvement - the slime really stands out now. The spikes are also much better. I might have been inclined to desaturate the floor a little bit less, to keep a slight hint of beige like on the walls and outsdie doors, but overall I think it looks much much better.

Your wall lights are the same colour as the slime - is this intentional? Some sort of slime-light effect? If not, consider changing the hue to be the same reddish-orange as the braziers to reduce the amount of clashing colours on the map.

Lukc

04-13-2012, 04:02 AM

It's definitely epic ... I'm tempted to just steal it for today's game :D

Bogie

04-14-2012, 11:20 AM

I played with the colors a bit more and added a couple detail objects. I think it is a pretty good balance like this.

My biggest question now is there is a lot of open space on the right and left sides. Should I leave it open for "room to fight" or should I add some kind of furniture to be obstacles and cover?

### Latest WIP ###
44015

Lukc

04-14-2012, 12:05 PM

How about designs/decorations on the ground? Like a pentagram of fire that boosts fire-magic and effects? Maybe a heptagram of ice on the other side ... you can leave the terrain open for movement, but make it so it has other effects on the combatants.

Bogie

04-14-2012, 12:21 PM

Great ideas, thanks! I didn't want to over clutter it, but it looks to open. That solves both issues.

Bogie

04-19-2012, 01:50 AM

Here is a version with Lava replacing the Slime. I still like the Slime, but I wanted to share the Lava version.

44131

Bogie

04-19-2012, 01:55 AM

This is the Finished ( ? maybe ) version of the Final BattleGround map using the Slime pit. Feedback appreciated, and may influence a Final, Final version.

### Latest WIP ###
44132

Lukc

04-20-2012, 08:13 AM

Cool map Bogie! Glad I could help a bit. For a Final-Final you might add a small legend perhaps, that indicates the effects of different areas? I know I really like that on a battle map, so I can tell right away what happens where.

Riggamorphus

04-22-2012, 06:26 PM

Hey Bogie, I like this idea. I would make that background a little darker and put more fires in it. That way you get more contrast and mood in it that I like so far.
Good Job!
Rigg

jfrazierjr

04-22-2012, 07:23 PM

I prefer the lava version..Perhaps because of the slime being so bright, and yet still showing the underlying floor pattern just messes up my head.
Also, it is not really clear how the thing in the middle works. From the shadows, it appears about the same level as the outer floor, but my guess is it's more supposed to be something like:

__ __
\ /
\__/

With the chains holding the platform just barely above the surface? If so, a deeper shadow is need around the outside pit edge. Either way, you need also need shadows on the chains and to a small extend the spikes around the pit. It also would not hurt to signify some way people would cross the expanse(retractable bridge, glowing teleport gates, etc.)

All in all though, this is a nice piece of work!

Bogie

04-22-2012, 07:57 PM

I tried to make the slime darker, but that just makes the brickwork show more. The bricks show because the slime is only a foot or two deep and is somewhat transparent like swamp water. The pit is only about 10 feet deep and the surface of the platform is only about 5 ft below the level of the main floor. I didn't put a shadow under the chains because there isn't much of an angle from the fires down onto the chain. I will try shadows and see how they look. I haven't quite figured out how they get out onto the platform yet.

jfrazierjr

04-22-2012, 08:26 PM

I tried to make the slime darker, but that just makes the brickwork show more. The bricks show because the slime is only a foot or two deep and is somewhat transparent like swamp water. The pit is only about 10 feet deep and the surface of the platform is only about 5 ft below the level of the main floor. I didn't put a shadow under the chains because there isn't much of an angle from the fires down onto the chain. I will try shadows and see how they look. I haven't quite figured out how they get out onto the platform yet.

The problem with the transparency of the slime is the drastic contrast high/lows. This really brings the slime color out more and makes it look "thicker" and thus more like it should be solid and obscure the bottom... is t hat one single layer of slime with built in opacity (set to show some through) or multiple layers built up? I would even go so far as to suggest trying a different slime pattern from another source. To me, unless there is a hottub jet or creature thing going on, the slime is way to turbulent.

Bogie

04-22-2012, 09:15 PM

The slime/brick is one layer. I think it was originally made to look like slimy water flowing through a sewer. You're right about to much turbulence for a pool unless something is stirring it up. Hmmmm,,,, couple ideas come to mind.

Bogie

04-23-2012, 01:33 AM

I changed to a new slime ( tried lots of different tentacles but didn't like them ), added shadows under the chains and put in matching teleport pads from the main floor to the platform.
Will add a legend next.

### Latest WIP ###
44271

Wow, that looks so different here than it does in Photoshop or Dundjinni

Sapiento

04-23-2012, 03:10 AM

Looks great!

jfrazierjr

04-23-2012, 11:02 AM

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!! That looks SOOO much better(BTW, where did you get the slime texture, it's quite nice!). The offset shadow on the chain really helps sell the illusion that was missing before and the slime texture works much better! Next step I would suggest is adding some shadows for the spikes around the pit to help sell them and I would also think you could deepen the shadows around the outside of the pit to give a bit more height to it compared to the platform and make it sell even better(when combined with the chain shadows).

Is it just me or are the teleport pad off center of the surrounding "ring". There is a slight look like they may be on a raised platform, but given the scale they are on the map, I don't know that it comes across enough to make it work the "oddness" of the look.

I would also suggest some grunge on the floor to break up the tile pattern and/or some blood... this is an arena after all right? People going to have dirty feet and blood stains on the floor...Possibly even some cracks or char marks(depending on if there is any magic use ever done in this arena or not.)

Bogie

04-24-2012, 01:56 AM

Fixed the off center teleport, added the spike shadows, cracks and grunge and some blood and slime.

The slime texture texture is a transparent water overlay, changed the color scheme to green and darkened it, then layered it over a dark brown ground texture. I was hoping for a bit more shiny / transparency, but it is OK as is.

### Latest WIP ###
44303

Whitedragon

04-24-2012, 09:13 AM

Its sooo good, it hurts

Bogie

04-24-2012, 11:45 PM

Thanks, Glad you all like it, all the great advice from everyone really helped.

I have 2 versions of the map now that I have a legend describing the main features. There is a DM map with the info and a player's map without it. I am going to post the DM map here so it is available, but on the next post I am going to post the final map for the challenge.

44330

Bogie

04-24-2012, 11:50 PM

Here is the final version for the challenge entry, the Player's Map.

### Latest WIP ###
44331

Jacktannery

04-25-2012, 02:49 AM

It's great Bogie - well done for sticking with it when so many others (thinking particularly of myself here) flaked out. The finished map looks wonderful and is something I can imagine myself using as a climactic end-of-quest big boss battle at the end of an adventure.

Bogie

04-27-2012, 06:37 PM

Thanks Jack, I love hearing when people use my maps for a game.

@ Lukc, Is that the kind of legend you were looking for? (on the next to the last map)

Lukc

04-28-2012, 01:46 PM

Yes, Bogie, that's exactly what I had in mind :) I can just imagine how horrified my players would be by encountering something like this. They'd say I'm out to kill them again!

Gidde

04-30-2012, 06:34 PM

Yes, Bogie, that's exactly what I had in mind :) I can just imagine how horrified my players would be by encountering something like this. They'd say I'm out to kill them again!

Wait. Isn't that the GM's job?? ;)

Bogie

04-30-2012, 09:54 PM

Scaring the crap out of the players is the best part of being the DM. Wait till they find out what is living in the slime! ( insert evil DM laugh here )

Gidde

04-30-2012, 10:06 PM

Our last session I was accused of "pressure-testing" the group ;) Of course, I was ...